PONSONBY CAT WINS FACEBOOK MAYORAL POLL, IMMEDIATELY GOES TO SLEEP ON A FERN
Tortoiseshell named Brenda secures 847 votes; runner-up was 'the bloke who yells at the pigeons'.
A tortoiseshell cat named Brenda has been declared unofficial Mayor of Ponsonby after winning a Facebook poll with 847 votes. She beat a human candidate known only as "that bloke who yells at the pigeons outside Crave".
Brenda lives somewhere off Franklin Road but treats the whole suburb as hers. She was nominated last Tuesday by a barista at Dizengoff named Kahu. "She comes in every morning! Sits on the same stool! Judges everyone! She's already doing the job!!"
Brenda's owner, Annabel Whitcombe-Reed, only found out her cat was mayor when three neighbours congratulated her at the Saturday markets. "I thought something had happened to her. I burst into tears in front of the pesto man. Then I had to buy the pesto anyway out of embarrassment."
The runner-up, who declined to be named, is reportedly "absolutely fuming". He told a neighbour the result was "a bloody stitch-up" and that the cat "hasn't even outlined a transport policy". A third candidate, a labrador called Mervyn from Three Lamps, conceded gracefully.
Mayor Brenda was contacted for comment at her usual stool but was asleep on a potted fern. An Auckland Council spokesperson said they were "aware of the poll" and had "no further comment at this time".
Brenda's first official engagement is a ribbon-cutting at a new oat milk bar on Ponsonby Road. Her attendance depends on whether it's sunny on the windowsill at home.
Brenda lives somewhere off Franklin Road but treats the whole suburb as hers. She was nominated last Tuesday by a barista at Dizengoff named Kahu. "She comes in every morning! Sits on the same stool! Judges everyone! She's already doing the job!!"
Brenda's owner, Annabel Whitcombe-Reed, only found out her cat was mayor when three neighbours congratulated her at the Saturday markets. "I thought something had happened to her. I burst into tears in front of the pesto man. Then I had to buy the pesto anyway out of embarrassment."
The runner-up, who declined to be named, is reportedly "absolutely fuming". He told a neighbour the result was "a bloody stitch-up" and that the cat "hasn't even outlined a transport policy". A third candidate, a labrador called Mervyn from Three Lamps, conceded gracefully.
Mayor Brenda was contacted for comment at her usual stool but was asleep on a potted fern. An Auckland Council spokesperson said they were "aware of the poll" and had "no further comment at this time".
Brenda's first official engagement is a ribbon-cutting at a new oat milk bar on Ponsonby Road. Her attendance depends on whether it's sunny on the windowsill at home.